Palmyra R-1 School District Board of Education Holds Retreat to Review Survey Highlights and Discuss Long-Range Facilities Planning
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The Palmyra R-1 School District recently completed a comprehensive set of surveys designed to gather feedback from students, staff, parents, and community members. On December 13, the Palmyra R-1 Board of Education met during its annual board retreat to review and discuss the results of the recently completed survey. Roger Kurtz, former MASA Executive Director, conducted the survey and presented on the data that was obtained. Palmyra R-1 supplied all staff members and district families with a copy of that slide presentation.
These surveys play an important role in guiding district decision-making and long-range planning by identifying strengths, areas for growth, and shared priorities across our school community. All individual comments, both concerns and positive feedback, were provided to the Board of Education in full for careful review and consideration.
The Board followed that up with an extensive review of long-range facilities planning with representatives from Klingner and Associates and BLDD Architects. The Board has been working with Klingner and BLDD to create a 20-year plan for both maintenance and improvement on current facilities and developing infrastructure priorities.
Who Participated
The district surveyed three key groups: students in grades 3 though 12, district staff, and parents and community members, using a survey model developed by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Student participation included several hundred students across all grade levels. Staff participation represented teachers from all buildings, administrators, and support staff. In addition, more than 300 parents and community members provided feedback. Overall, the district received 990 responses to the survey.
What Students Told Us
Across all grade levels, students consistently reported feeling safe at school and supported by caring teachers. Elementary students highlighted kindness, safety, and positive relationships with teachers as the best parts of their school experience. Middle school students emphasized feeling respected, learning life skills, and preparing for the future. High school students pointed to strong teachers, a positive school environment, safety, and opportunities such as career and technical education, dual credit, A+, athletics, and extracurricular activities.
When asked about future needs, student responses reflected a desire for engaging learning experiences, clean facilities, quality food service, continued safety, and support as they prepare for life beyond high school.
Staff and Community Perspectives
Staff and community surveys mirrored many of the same themes. Respondents rated the district positively overall, while also identifying several primary areas of concern. Staff compensation continues to be one of the most significant issues across all levels, along with the need to recruit and retain quality teachers. The availability of substitute teachers remains a major operational challenge districtwide. Bullying awareness and student behavior were also identified as areas needing continued attention.
School safety remains a high priority for staff and community members. While still a concern, its ranking has improved compared to the 2023 surveys, suggesting that progress has been made. Facilities, which ranked among the highest concerns in 2023, dropped significantly in the 2025 results, indicating improvement or stabilization in this area. Parent and community engagement rose as a priority, reflecting a shared desire for strong partnerships between our school and its families.
Improvement Since 2023
An important takeaway from the Board’s review was the overall improvement seen since the 2023 district surveys. Higher percentages of students, staff, and community members reported that they believe Palmyra R-1 earns high grades as a school district and aligns well with the values of the Palmyra community. The results point to growing confidence in the direction of the district and the work being done on behalf of and by our students.
Strategic Priorities Looking Ahead
As the Board of Education prepares for future strategic planning, survey respondents were asked to identify priorities moving forward. The top priorities identified across staff and community groups for 2025 include:
1. Maintaining a quality teaching staff
2. Maintaining low student-to-teacher ratios
3. Providing more hands-on learning opportunities
4. Improving school safety and security
5. Expanding social and emotional supports for students
Community members and parents also emphasized discipline as an important focus area in the coming years.
Overall Impressions of the Survey
Survey results show strong alignment among students, staff, and community members. Palmyra R-1 is widely viewed as a district that provides a safe environment, caring teachers, and meaningful opportunities for students. At the same time, respondents were clear about the importance of providing more hands-on learning, anticipation of staffing challenges, establishing fair and consistent discipline, providing a safe environment for students and maintaining class sizes.
The Board of Education and district leadership appreciate the time and thoughtful input provided by everyone who participated. This feedback will continue to guide district planning and ensure Palmyra R-1 remains aligned with the values and expectations of the Palmyra Community. The survey is an essential tool as Palmyra R-1 continues to strive to meet the needs of its staff and students.
Long-Range Facilities Planning
Klingner and Associates presented detailed “Educational Adequacy” assessments for the district’s three main campuses, rating them on a 1,000-point scale across the following categories: school site, structural and mechanical, safety/security, maintainability, educational adequacy, and instructional environment.
•Elementary School: PES scored very high in safety and security and earned high marks in maintainability. All other areas scored satisfactory.
•Middle School: PMS rated above average in safety and security, and satisfactory in all other areas. It scored the lowest in school site which rated a 63%.
•High School: PHS received the highest score of 88.8%. It scored 97% in safety and security, and above average in all other areas.
Infrastructure Priorities
The discussion highlighted several critical maintenance and modernization needs across the district:
•Elementary School: The Board discussed options for enhanced early childhood education and Parents as Teachers opportunities and looked for quality educational spaces outside of the traditional classrooms. Parking and traffic flow were also concerns discussed.
•Middle School: The middle school discussion was also centered around parking and traffic flow issues. Creating educational spaces outside of the traditional classrooms, accessibility, functionality of current classroom space, and solutions to improve gym facilities and fine arts areas came to the forefront of discussion.
•High School: The high school discussion focused on finding areas in which students could work cohesively in collaborative areas throughout the building. Storage is needed for maintenance and educational needs. The band room was also noted as one of the few areas in the building that has not gotten an upgrade at the high school building.
Strategic Planning Goals
BLDD Architects and Klingner worked with the Board to align these facility findings with long-term educational goals. The session focused on how physical space impacts student learning, particularly in areas of cognitive and affective engagement and collaborative environments, which were identified as areas that could improve in the existing floor plans. This meeting served as a foundational step for the district’s Master Facilities Plan, establishing a roadmap for the Board of Education to follow when making decisions for future renovations and potential expansion to maintain support for modern educational standards.
The Palmyra R-1 School District Board of Education extends its sincere appreciation to all students, staff, parents, and community members who took the time to participate in the district’s recent surveys and share thoughtful feedback. This input, along with the Board’s work during the December 13 retreat reviewing survey results and long-range facilities planning, will play a vital role in shaping future district decisions and priorities. The Board and district leadership value the continued partnership with the Palmyra community and remain committed to transparency and collaboration as planning moves forward. Community members with questions or who would like to learn more about this process are encouraged to reach out to a board member, a member of the administrative team, or contact Jason Harper, Palmyra R-1 Superintendent, by calling his office at 573-769-2066 or by scheduling an in-person meeting.